More Than Love
by xxAngel.of.Bloodlustxx
Summary: A fluffy, dramatic, emo, euphoric, action-filled CloTi fic, my absolute pride and joy! CloTi. Bits of ZaEris here and there. Post-AC. Based loosely on Sweetbox's 'More Than Love'.
1. A Week After

**Author's Note**: Here is my true pride and joy, More Than Love. I've kind of waited a long time to post, because it's so near and dear to my heart... so please be gentle when reviewing it. I wrote it when I first discovered CloTi, and my love for it was love at first sight, I suppose. There may be many changes because my views and opinions on the couple have changed significantly since first finding it, so skim if not reread each chapter from month to month; you may find I've added or changed bits. But here's the first, unedited copy of Chapter One. It may be kinda long and detailed, but I hope you like it! :)

P.S. Almost each chapter is based loosely on a song; for instance, the fic itself is based loosely on 'More Than Love' by Sweetbox.

P.P.S. PLEASE REVIEW!!

* * *

**Chapter On****e _-_**_ A Week After_

Tifa opened her eyes.

Everything was blurry for a few seconds, but after blinking once or twice, the blurriness was erased, and replaced by a dim light outside that filtered in through the window. The rest of her vision was obscured by her grey, squishy pillow in its oversized off-white pillowcase. A grating, persistent and seemingly deafening beeping crackled in her ears.

She turned her gaze from the outside to the still beeping alarm clock on her bedside table. 5:30. She plucked it from its place and turned it off. The annoying sound was subdued.

She slung her legs over the side of the bed. They hung limp, but they ached from being tense all night. She didn't know why she was so tense; maybe just force-of-habit, or whatever it was called…

She swallowed, but made a face at the sour, morning-breath taste. She licked her dry lips and pushed herself up off the bed. It took a fair amount of effort; she had waited for Cloud very late last night, later than she normally would have.

Almost automatically, like a zombie, she trudged downstairs and turned on the water in the shower. After Meteor, she didn't used to wait until the water was warm; water and energy were expensive, but it didn't take as long now, so she decided to leave it running. Why not?

After a few minutes of pacing quietly around, she stripped off her white nightgown and stepped into the shower. Though no one was there, she hugged herself as goose bumps covered her arms.

She could tell that the water was still a bit chilly… maybe more than chilly. Oh well. Better to shower cold. It woke her up anyway, she reasoned as the almost frigid water hit her skin. She instinctively recoiled, but stepped back into the water. It slowly warmed up.

She felt it wash over her face, flow over her arms and legs, surrounding her like a soft, transparent veil, washing away everything as she just stood there, immobile, in a sort of lethargic reverie. Washing it away as the Lifestream had done…

"Cloud, _where are you_?" she murmured, putting a hand on her neck and staring down at her toes for a few moments. "Why haven't you come home?"

She remembered the last smile he'd given her. It was the smile that made her believe… made her believe that everything was alright, that everything was going to be alright…

But wasn't that always the case?

After washing her hair and mechanically scrubbing her body, she stepped out of the shower, wrapped a big white towel around herself and wrung out her stringy wet hair. 6:15 now.

She sighed, angry with herself. She shouldn't have taken so long.

She walked slowly around, brushing the dust off the bar with the tips of her long fingers. She looked outside; it was a bit lighter outside now. Raining.

Raining the Lifestream rain. That made her smile a little. At least it wasn't the cold, hard rain that the soggy metropolis Midgar and its little town Edge - where Tifa and her family lived - usually received this time of year.

It had been only a week since the Lifestream rain had begun to fall, and it made her very happy to see that the sadness and poverty that she had come to know was almost gone, after only a week. The energy crisis was over, thanks to her old friend and comrade-in-arms Barret, who had found a very large oil deposit in Corel.

And what's more, the Lifestream rain had cured all children and orphans with Geostigma - an incurable disease that racked the body with pain and caused short, unhappy life -, including Cloud and Denzel, Tifa's sort of… adoptive son.

Her bliss was interrupted by the small and persistent voice in her head, reminding her of a cold and harsh reality, one more personal and devastating than even the darkest days…

Cloud was gone again.

After defeating Sephiroth for the second time - or Kadaj and his gang, rather, the remnants of Sephiroth - , he had left her and their family again. As the though crossed Tifa's mind, she bit back tears. _Maybe I should call_, she thought rationally to herself. His cell phone's always on…

But she knew full well that he never answered. Why did she always hope that he'd change? Why did she think that this time, somehow, it would be different?

Tifa discarded the thought.

Still holding her towel, she lifted the chairs off the tables and brought out some glasses, setting up Seventh Heaven for a new day of business. People came more often now, not drowning their sorrows in alcohol, but toasting to each other's health, celebrating and drinking to the happy new days ahead. It was just as Barret had said once: "_The solution to everyone's problem is alcohol. We forgot all sorts of things, right? That's the moment we're after_." And he was right, in a way.

It made her glad, but right now, in this grey hour, she was completely alone.

Suddenly, Tifa heard a floorboard creak. She whipped around, her muscles tensing up as she prepared to take her usual fighting stance.

There was just her in the bar; Marlene and Denzel were still sleeping. They probably wouldn't be awake for another three hours or so. In fact, _nobody _in Edge would be awake at this hour anymore…

"We're still closed!" she cried out, clutching her towel tighter. The sound was coming closer. Heavy boots treading on the floor.

Her heart pounding so hard her temples hurt, Tifa instinctively reached to her pockets for her gloves, but they weren't there. She swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn't want to fight, but Marlene and Denzel were in danger. And if they were in danger, she would do anything to make sure they were safe.

She closed her hands into fists.

The sound came closer still…

"Tifa?"


	2. A Week After suite

**Author's Note:** I think that, just for suspense purposes (MUAHAHA), I'll separate the chapters into 'suites', as they are called in French. Sort of like one-point-one or whatever. I guess most of my chapters are kinda long anyway. So yeah, here's Chapter 1.1... sorta. Enjoy! :)

P.S. In case you're wondering, I'm taking a little break from Hello - because I've reached a serious writers block -, and Catch Me If You Can - because I feel like it -. I'll be updating Lithium soon!

* * *

**Chapter One _-_**_ A Week After _**(****suite)**

Suddenly, Cloud's head poked uncertainly around the corner. He was dressed in his usual, dark navy and black attire, and his shock of spiky, bright blond hair, a little damp from the rain outside. The beginning of what could be a small, timid and scarce smile came upon his lips, then he looked down, embarrassed, seeing her outfit… or lack of.

"Uh… I, uh…" he stammered self-consciously. "I… went back to the Forgotten City and Aeris' church… I, um, had some unfinished business… to attend to."

It took Tifa a minute to register him. She just stood, staring, her mouth agape. "You… you're here," she said bluntly. Cloud nodded in his usual silent manner, unable to really say anything at all.

"To _stay_?" Her disbelief was plain, and she sort of felt wrong to look so dazed.

He nodded again but chose to speak. "… Yes. Yes, I guess so."

"But then you're leaving again." Tifa had meant it as a question, but she couldn't help it coming across as a statement.

A slightly pained expression flitted across the young, spiky haired boy's face. His words came in a jumbled stream, as he tried to explain himself. "No, Tifa. I… went to get my things from Aeris' church, to bring them home…" He gazed at her for a moment, then resumed his watching of the floor. "I went a little crazy, for a while. But I'm staying, and never leaving again. Not like _that_, anyway."

Cloud closed his mouth, afraid more words would fall out. It was probably the most he'd ever said to her at one time. Talking was hard for him since everything over the past four or five years.

Several emotions crossed Tifa's face, and she wasn't sure whether she would laugh or cry. She felt tears in the corners of her eyes and blinked. She suddenly felt weak, like her legs were going to give out and she lurched forward.

"Tifa!" Cloud rushed to comfort her, but then held back awkwardly, as she was only wearing a towel, but she clutched the side of the bar for support, then began to cry softly. He came forward timidly, but didn't have to come much further, as Tifa practically jumped on him, throwing her arms around his neck and resting her head on his chest.

She felt the leather strap of Cloud's buster sword sheath on her cheek, and felt his arms wrap slowly around her, ever so shyly, so she tightened her arms around his neck reassuringly. "You came back..." she cried happily. He slowly stroked her still damp hair with unusual affection as she cried silently on his shoulder. She stood back, and Cloud smiled at her. She smiled back, then smacked his arm - _hard _- and yelled, "You _jerk_! I was afraid you were gone for good!"

Cloud couldn't help but laugh at her. Tifa scowled at him, and said through her tears, "I should be mad at you, but... I'm too happy!" She punched his arm again, this time more playfully, and hugged him again. She started to laugh and cry softly at the same time.

The two held the other gently but firmly, like old friends or former lovers who had finally found each other... and they were, really. Tear drops and rain drops dripped on both figures, still clutched tightly in each other's arms. They stayed like that for at least three minutes, though it seemed like an eternity and a second at once.

Tifa finally looked up tentatively. She wiped the last tears off and put her hands on Cloud's chest. She felt like everything was so new… Cloud was talking again, and she was still in relative shock. His arms were now laced gently around her shoulders.

"I'm sorry, I've just… missed you so much, and I forgot you were back, and… and I went a little crazy too. I…"

"You don't have to say anything," Cloud said softly. "If you've forgotten the way you were then, I'll be there to bring you back."

"You will?"

"Prob…" He stopped as Tifa's smile began to fade. "Yes."

Tifa grinned, and she hugged him tighter. "It'll all be okay now…" she murmured softly.

"Because you're with me. We're together again."

"We were always together," she said firmly. "I've always been with you, don't you see? I always will." Tifa's face turned from quiet contemplation of his face, to a smile. She laughed quietly and brought a hand up to brush a lock of damp hair from his eyes. "Haven't we had this conversation before?" she asked. She leaned her head on his shoulder again, then suddenly looked up at his face, surprised. "What is it?" Cloud asked.

"Cloud, you… you're _smiling_. Really _smiling_."

Cloud looked equally surprised, and touched the corners of his mouth gingerly, as if he wasn't sure of what he might find. "I… I am?"

Tifa's smile widened and she laughed, "Yes, you are!"

"You can smile now, too," Cloud murmured thoughtfully. "Everything's going to be alright this time."

"Yeah," Tifa replied simply. She swore she could have kissed him then and there.

She hugged him again and then whispered, "Cloud… I've been meaning to ask you…"

"What?"

She suddenly felt so small, even though Cloud was only a few inches taller than her…

"Do… do you -"

"Tifa?" A small girl's soft voice rang out in the almost silent bar.

Tifa whipped around to see Denzel and Marlene coming around the corner, each rubbing their eyes sleepily, hand in hand.

Tifa practically shot off of Cloud and grabbed her towel, while Cloud sort of shuffled away and looked at the floor. "D-Denzel… Marlene… W-what are you two doing up… _now_?" she stammered, feeling very foolish for not even thinking of the noise they must have made.

The two kids were about to answer, but then their gaze fell upon Cloud.

"_Cloud_!" they yelled in unison. The two children rushed over to him, and after his tiny smile of permission, hugged him tightly. While the kids cuddled with a speechless but contented Cloud, Tifa went - muttering good-naturedly "What am I, chopped liver?" - and dressed quickly, coming back within a few seconds.

"Welcome back!" Marlene exclaimed, her face so excited. She hugged him so tight that Tifa was sure Cloud's eyes would pop out.

The latter looking a little embarrassed but certainly pleased, and the former was all smiles. The two kids stood back and looked at their adoptive mother.

"Marlene woke me up, 'cause you weren't in your room. We got worried," explained Denzel, his tousled hair standing slightly on end and looking almost as messy as Cloud's was from the rain.

"I see."

Smiling, Tifa bent down to give the two children a good-morning hug and a kiss on the forehead, then said reassuringly, "You both know that I'm here all the time. I'd never leave without telling you!"

The moment the words left her mouth, she bit her lip and cursed inwardly, wishing she could snatch them back and hide them; she didn't want to make Cloud feel guilty. She snuck a glance at him; he didn't seem to notice.

"I know," Marlene said, smiling at Tifa. The young girl stifled a yawn.

"This is a lot earlier than you're used to, isn't it?"

"Uh-huh!" Marlene said enthusiastically, apparently proud of herself for waking up early.

"You too, Denzel?" Tifa asked teasingly, cocking her head to one side.

The boy smiled and nodded. Then he looked up at Cloud. "You came back! Like you said…" Then Marlene made a face and put her hand on her hip. "But you sure took a while, lazy dilly-dally-er!"

Tifa grinned and tried not to laugh.

Marlene looked up at Tifa for a second, then continued in a haughty tone, "Tifa and I agreed we'd give you a lecture when you got back! Didn't we, Tifa?"

Tifa nodded, smiling.

Cloud smiled slightly and joked, "I hope it'll be a short one."

"Can't promise anything," the six-year-old answered.

Tifa put her hand on Marlene's shoulder. "Mar, Cloud's tired, and I bet you are too. I think the lecture will have to wait."

The brunette looked uncertain.

"It'll give you extra time to think of an extra-long lecture," Tifa reasoned.

Marlene's pondered this for a moment, then sighed, "_Fine_. We'll wait until tomorrow."

Cloud smiled back shyly and bent down to her level - a sweet, paternal gesture, Tifa reflected proudly - and said, "Don't worry, Marlene. I'm back. And this time I'm back to stay."

"Really, Cloud?"

"Mm-hmm."

Marlene rushed forward and kissed him on the cheek, which brought on a look of complete surprise and blushing from Cloud, then she yawned and stretched again as if everything was back to normal. "Tifa, I'm tired. I need help going to sleep. Can you read me a book?"

"I will," Cloud said, stepping forward. "Tifa still has a lot to do in the bar." Both children's faces lit up.

Tifa stared in overwhelming pride at Cloud, who met her gaze. Tifa's fingertips touched his, and then they broke away as Marlene grabbed his hand.

"Come on, Cloud," Marlene said, pulling him up the stairs. Denzel followed, a bit nervously albeit, but unable to keep a huge grin off his face.

Tifa stood there for a long while and watched them climb upstairs, her arms crossed happily across her chest. She could hear, ever so faintly, Marlene trying to sound out words, then Denzel and Cloud helping her out.

After a few moments, she saw the time: 7:12! How had time flown by so fast?

She had no time to dry her hair; Seventh Heaven opened at 7:00! She finished placing the chairs and brought out some bottles of alcohol.

Finally, about twenty minutes later or so, Tifa heard footsteps. She took a deep breath and uttered her warm welcome: "Good day! Welcome to Seventh Heaven!"

But she didn't even finish 'good day', as she realized it was just Cloud. _Of course, who else would it be_? she thought.

"Thanks for saving me from that lecture back there," Cloud said gratefully, plunking himself down on a barstool with unusual easiness.

"Oh... it was nothing," Tifa replied, blushing.

She suddenly felt very weak in the knees. What was wrong with her? This never happened when she was talking to Cloud! She had always been so level-headed around him!

She turned to hide the colour in her cheeks, and began scrubbing glasses. Cloud slid behind her silently, so smooth that she didn't even notice until she felt his hands on her shoulders. "So. How've you been?" he asked softly in her ear. His voice was low and intimate, and it made butterflies flutter in her stomach.

Tifa bit her lip. "Better now that you've come back," she joked, trying to keep things easy.

Cloud smiled a strange smile and laced his fingers in hers. He brought his gloved hand to her cheek, and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

Tifa cringed slightly. She'd never really seen such a show of… _what_?

The barmaid pulled away slightly, a troubled look on her face.

"Tifa?" Cloud asked. "What's wrong?" He raised a hand to squeeze her shoulder, but she shied. "_Tifa_?" His voice was serious, concerned.

"I…" She was at a loss for words. How could she tell him how she felt… when she wasn't even sure that was how she felt?

No. No, she couldn't tell him… it would make things too hard. _But she wanted to_…

But anyway, these… _feelings_. They weren't feelings of _love_. They were… the sort of maternal feelings a mother would have, pride and that sort of thing. Weren't they?

She hugged herself, suddenly feeling like she was cold… and so alone, even if he was finally here, right now, like she had always wanted. "Nothing's wrong. I just… I just feel a little chilly."

Cloud came forward to hug her. Tifa seemed to shrink under his arms. He drew back and looked alarmed. "Perhaps you got chills…"

Tifa was barely listening, but she simply nodded and shivered again. Cloud put his arm around her shoulder and gently steered her upstairs. He sat her down on the bed, quickly fetched a blanket and wrapped it around Tifa's trembling shoulders. She stared down at her feet and nodded vaguely when Cloud asked whether he could get her some tea.

Cloud told her that he would handle things in Seventh Heaven, or just close it for the day. Tifa didn't really care what he did, but thought it best to close the bar. Someone needed to look after Denzel and Marlene, after all.

And you, a voice in her head chimed in.

Me? I'm fine.

Are you?

* * *

After Cloud had fixed Tifa with some tea and left her to rest, he came downstairs and quietly set out on Fenrir. It was still raining hard, but he needed to clear his head, because he just couldn't get Tifa out of his mind.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Cloudy-boy can't get Tifa out of his mind... how sweet! :)

So, how was it? Not that bad, huh? ;) Anyway, pleasepleasepleaseplease_pleeeeease_ review!!


	3. Unrequited

**Author's Note**: I had an idea the other day; I could put Cloud and Tifa's dreams and diary entries as chapters! Pretty smart, huh? Rin thought so.

Anyway, here's Tifa's first diary entry. I don't think Cloud'll have one for a while, not until Christmas anyway. Heh heh... you'll just have to wait and see what happens at Christmas.

And yes, this chappie seems a little sad, a little angsty. But things get happier, trust me!

P.S. Diary entries are in italics, in case you haven't figured that out, smart cookies that you are! :)

P.P.S. PLEASE REVIEW!!

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**Tifa's Diary -** _Unrequited_

_I found this blank book the today while I was cleaning out my bedside table. It looked so lonely, just sitting in the bottom of my drawer... I think it might be good to use it as a diary. I mean, why not?_

_So I suppose I should start by telling what's been going on in my life._

_Well, Cloud's home. Just those three words, said so casually, make my heart flutter. I don't know if he knows it, but sometimes I just can't stop looking at him. I don't know if it's because he's still such a mystery to me, or because... well, you know._

_He's been acting so strange lately... sometimes he's warm and sociable, and sometimes lonely and secluded. Sometimes I wonder, Why can't he give a straight answer, dammit? Make up his mind? Yuffie's right; he **is **a pain in the ass. But I can live with that.  
_

_I feel so relieved; Cloud's back, and things have been fairly normal. Well, I'm not quite over the chills, but Cloud's had a few deliveries to keep his mind off sulking, and business in Seventh Heaven and Strife Delivery Service is the same as it's ever been. He's out on a delivery at the moment, actually._

_But... he's been having nightmares. Sometimes he screams in his sleep, tosses and turns horribly._

_Two nights ago, I came into his room and he was thrashing and yelling names. Aeris' name, mostly._

_I think he loved her. I know that he cared for her incredibly. When she died, it was like something in him was missing, gone with her to the bottom of the waters where she fell... sometimes I wonder whether a part of himself died that day. I know he misses her all the time. I wonder if I'm enough to fill that part of him. I hope so..._

_Anyway, I came in, and tried to wake him. But even when he was awake, he was still screaming. It was like he wasn't there; his eyes were glassy and scared. The Cloud that I know was gone._

_I sat there, with his head cradled on my arm, and I stoked his hair and mopped his sweaty forehead with a cold cloth. I whispered to him, and I sang to him, until he calmed down and finally went back to sleep, his eyes still glassy. It was strange, really... it was like he didn't know I was there._

_I want to talk to him about his dreams, because I know his nightmares frighten the children. I know that his screaming woke Marlene up once. After I quieted Cloud down, she came into my room and said that she'd had a bad dream herself. But her eyes were fully awake, and she was looking at the ground instead of at me, like she normally does. I could tell she was lying. But I let her sleep in my bed that night, and I slept on the floor. I didn't mind. Marlene's the sweetest girl in the world, and probably the smartest. She's like my own daughter, my little girl. I would do anything for her and Denzel._

_Later, I was wandering around upstairs, and I heard Marlene telling Denzel what had happened the night before. She sounded... strange, frightened, and Denzel sounded concerned as he comforted her. Sometimes I think that they both worry too much about things that should be taken care of by grown-ups like Cloud and me._

_I just don't feel very grown-up, sometimes. I mean, a grown-up should be able to cope with this, right? But I think that Cloud and I both grew up a little too fast... The kids shouldn't have to be concerned for their own guardian's mental state. That's not right for children their age._

_Anyway, that morning, Cloud came downstairs. He had a guilty look on his face, like he knew what had happened and he was ashamed of it. Or maybe he's ashamed that I know that his dreams are about her. Maybe he thinks that I'm jealous. Doesn't he realize that I could never be jealous of one of my dearest friends? Who could be jealous of an angel?_

_But at night, when nobody can hear or see, my heart hurts so much because I can't be what he needs... or who he wants. I sometimes wish that it had been me who had been laid to rest in those god-forsaken waters, because maybe he'd realize how much he missed me... or not miss me, and not be so sad._

_I could never be jealous of someone that made Cloud smile. I love him deeply. Whether it's motherly love or romantic love, I care for him so much. I find myself wishing sometimes that things had been different between us, that maybe fate hadn't been so cruel._

_I don't know if he knows... but sometimes I get the feeling that he can tell. For now, I'll just be happy to be with him, Marlene and Denzel, whether it's being just the friend, not the girl. I can live with that; I can settle for friend, just so long as I get to be here with him._

_I wonder what's more than love. If I knew, maybe I could give it to him._


	4. A Very Loyal Partner

**Author's Note:** Voila! Chapter Two, although technically it could be Three. Meh.

Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Two -**_ A Very Loyal Partner  
_

It was a few days later. Raining.

Tifa wasn't completely back to full health; in fact, she wouldn't admit it, but she was getting worse. She couldn't stand for too long without getting dizzy, she was taking extra Tylenol just to get though the day, and she hadn't eaten for fear of throwing up. But she didn't want Cloud to worry; the kids were exceptionally capable, and helped her take care of things at Seventh Heaven.

Aside from her illness, things were almost like they used to be. Granted, Cloud was still not the most _sociable _person, but he certainly spoke more than he used to, or at least more as he did before he acquired Geostigma. He wasn't as tense or uncomfortable as he usually was, and he seemed to enjoy human company much more than he used to.

Perhaps he just needed to let go of his guilt; that was Tifa's theory.

Cloud had reluctantly left her for a few days for a delivery - Tifa had insisted that 'she didn't want life to be interrupted on her account'.

Tifa was washing dishes at the moment. Suddenly, she felt a rush of water in her mouth and a terrible wave of nausea. She dropped the plate she was cleaning. It smashed on the floor, but she didn't care; she had to fight to keep from vomiting.

She held her stomach and rested her head on the cupboard door as she waited for the feeling to pass. She saw little spots dancing in front of her eyes, and before she knew what was happening, Denzel was kneeling beside her, asking her is she was alright and Marlene was on the phone with Cloud.

"Cloud... it's Tifa, she's... no, I don't think so, she just... fell over! Please hurry back home!"

Her vision blurred, and she heard two voices, one male, the other female...

"_It's alright, Tifa..._"

"_Just go to sleep..._"

And then black.

* * *

"Sshh... I think she's waking up!"

_Waking up_?

"Huh?" Tifa asked woozily. She opened her eyes; bright fluorescent lights dazzled her eyes. She blinked several times, and saw three faces staring down at her; Marlene, Denzel, and Cloud.

She realized she was in a hospital bed, wearing a white-and-blue hospital gown, an IV drip in her wrist. Marlene and Denzel sat on the bed, both scrutinizing her face nervously. Cloud stood at her side.

Now she remembered; _chills, nausea, passing out_...

"_Tifa_! You're alright!" The kids sprang forward and hugged her, but Cloud hung back.

After a second of staring, Cloud burst out, "You are _so stubborn_! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"That you were getting worse!"

"Oh..."

Cloud folded his arms. "Yeah, _oh_."

"I'm sorry," she replied sheepishly. She stared at the sheets; she hated Cloud being mad at her.

"You were dehydrated, _Miss Lockhart_. You've been here for two days, because you weren't drinking enough water. Don't do that again." His voice cracked. He was still trying to look angry, but she could tell from his knit brow and pale face that he had been worried about her.

After a moment, he held his index and thumb close together and added teasingly, "I was _this _close to calling Barret to come over here and talk some sense into you."

Tifa smiled weakly. At least he was in a good enough mood to joke.

"How did I get here?" she asked Marlene.

The young brunette cocked her head to the side. "Cloud carried you, of course!"

Tifa's gaze turned to Cloud, who smiled as the faintest bit of colour sprang to his cheeks. She knew she didn't need to say it, because they had said all they needed to say in that one look, but she mouthed, "Thank you."

Suddenly, the door to the hospital room opened and in strode - who Tifa expected was - the doctor, carrying a clipboard. He was short, bearded, and his light hair receding. The bespeckled man looked to be about fifty or so.

"Ah, Mrs. Strife, you're awake!" he exclaimed. "Feeling better, are we?"

Tifa blushed. "Um... I'm not Mrs. Strife."

The man blinked and fiddled with his glasses. "This _is _Room 304, is it not?"

"Um... I guess so." Tifa really had no idea what room, let alone what _hospital _she was in.

"Yes," Cloud replied hastily.

"Then you are Mrs. -"

"Lockhart," Tifa cut in.

"I'm Dr. Sanchez," he replied warmly. He then turned to Cloud. "Then this must be Mr. Lockhart."

Cloud swallowed uncomfortably. Tifa winced and said, "He's Mr. _Strife_, and I'm _Miss _Lockhart."

Dr. Sanchez blinked again, and nodded at Marlene and Denzel, who looked quite perplexed. "These children are yours, though?"

"They're adopted," Cloud mumbled.

Tifa looked down at the sheets again as her face reddened slightly. She had forgotten what most people's reaction was to her patchwork family.

The doctor also noticed her embarrassment, and fussed with his glasses. "Well, then... er, Miss Lockhart. You're almost back to full health; you seem to bounce back from sickness fairly easily. You're fine to go now, but drink plenty of fluids! I must say, though. you gave Mr. Strife here quite a scare!"

Cloud stared at the floor and nodded mutely. Tifa smiled slightly.

"Why, he was here every minute of the time you were asleep!" Dr. Sanchez continued. "A very loyal... _partner_."

The two adults started; they both stammered, "We're not -"

But the doctor had already left the room, and the kids were eager to get back home.

* * *

Once arrived home, however, Tifa was met with more than the comfort and quiet of her bed; the whole of AVALANCHE was waiting for her!

As the family entered and found the group lazing around in various places in the bar, Tifa whispered to Cloud, "I though you were '_this close_' to calling Barret. You didn't, did you?"

The swordsman sighed. "Remind me never to leave Marlene alone with my cellphone."

Tifa stifled a giggle, then rushed forward and hugged Barret warmly. The big dark-skinned man smiled, towering over Tifa by at least a foot and a half. He stepped back and eyed her with just a hint of worry.

"Tifa! Mar told me about you in the hospital. But for a sick girl, you look damn pretty!"

He then slapped Cloud on the back. "Hey, Spikey! You'd better take good care o' my girls, huh?"

Cloud didn't understand what he meant by 'girls'; then he realized that Barret meant Tifa, too.

"Yep!" Marlene answered, popping her little head in between everyone. She grabbed her adoptive father's gun arm and hugged it.

"Hey, there's enough of me for everybody!" Barret cried. He mussed his little girl's hair affectionately. Marlene give a little shriek and swatted him away. "Pa-_pa_," she said exasperatedly, "you're messing up my hair!"

A dark shadow glided around from behind Barret, the tattered blood-red cape billowing mysteriously. A flash of golden, metal claws and long, raven hair; unmistakably the enigmatic Vincent Valentine.

"Tifa," Vincent said in his raspy voice, nodding respectfully.

"Vincent," she replied equally courteously, but not able to keep a happy smile off her face. Looking past him, she saw Yuffie Kisaragi, her head cocked to the side and a wide grin on her face. "Yuffie!"

"Hiya!" The young ninja girl of Wutai waggled her fingers in a greeting. She walked up to Cloud, punched his shoulder - _hard _- and said, "Hey Cloud, you big pain in the ass, you!" At Cloud's look of surprise, Tifa smiled and squeezed his shoulder.

Turning to Tifa once more, she said, "Guess what! I brought enough materia for everyone!" she squealed excitedly, like they were party favors. She hoisted two big boxes of the brightly-coloured magical orbs onto the bar and flipped the tops open, exposing the spheres of energy inside. Marlene stood on tiptoes to get a better look at the materia. The glow reflected off her face and gave her face a bluish tint.

"Where'd you find all that!" Tifa exclaimed, examining the twin cargo boxes. They were both a dark greyish coffee colour, _very _beat up, and, through further examination, Tifa could see a faint Shinra Electric Power Company logo, hastily scraped off. She smiled slyly.

"_Stole_ it, most likely," Cid Highwind, the crusty sky-pilot said gruffly, walking forward and eyeing the boxes suspiciously. He prodded one disapprovingly with his gloved finger.

Yuffie put her hands on her hips obstinately, then, as an afterthought, pulled the boxes closer, as if Cid would snatch them if she wasn't careful. "Did _not_!"

"What will we be needing all this for, Yuffie?" Tifa inquired, scratching at the scuffed Shinra logo with her index fingernail.

"Well, first of all, to replace Cloud's materia taken in the whole incident with... oh, what's-his-face, the Sephiroth insect…"

"Kadaj," Vincent answered, unable to keep a hint of exasperation out of his voice.

"Kadaj, yeah, him. And…" She hesitated.

"What?"

"We thought we could go and pay tribute to Aeris at the Forgotten City," Vincent interrupted hollowly.

Tifa felt her throat tighten. "When?" she asked, trying not to cry.

"Tomorrow," Yuffie said, trying to stay cheerful but only looking empty. "Are you two coming?"

"Yes," Cloud said solemnly. He turned to Tifa and squeezed the ends of her fingers. "Tifa?"

"Of course," Tifa replied, discretely chasing her tears away with the back of her hand.

"Can I come?" Marlene asked.

"Me too?" Denzel chimed in.

Tifa nodded, unable to speak.

* * *

That night, after Marlene and Denzel were in bed, AVALANCHE gathered together at Seventh Heaven for a late-night game of cards. Since Red XIII and Tifa didn't know how to play poker, and no one had brought chips anyway, Tifa suggested a friendly game of Crazy Eights.

Yuffie held her cards with both hands, mostly covering her face, and shot suspicious glances to the people beside her. The young ninja girl's face was scrunched up in over-dramatic concentration as she contemplated her cards. Vincent's obscenely obvious, impatient finger-drumming had turned into almost a pattern; _drum, drum, sigh. Drum, drum, sigh_...

Finally, after the suspense was practically killing every player, Yuffie asked, "Got any 5's?"

Vincent didn't attempt to hide his groan. He looked as though he would sooner drop-kick her out the door than explain once more what one must and must not do during a card game. "For the _umpteenth _time, Yuffie, this _isn't _Go Fish."

"Oh."

"_Nor_ is it even your turn."

"Oh."

Tifa hid her knowing smile behind her fanned cards. _Wouldn't it be funny if they got **married**_? she thought to herself. The contrast was perfect; Vincent's calm, serious demeanor, and Yuffie's hyper-active, capricious outlook on life.

It was fair food for thought.

"In fact, it's Tifa's turn," Vincent continued.

Tifa nodded. She was down to four cards: a 2, a Queen of Clubs, a Jack of Diamonds, and a 7. The face-up card was a 2 of Diamonds.

She placed her Jack down and said to Yuffie, "Sorry; Jack-you-miss-a-turn."

"Awww," Yuffie scowled. Vincent smiled slightly and gingerly laid his card down: a Jack of Clubs. "You miss a turn, Barret."

"Damn you, Valentine," he said good-naturedly. "Red?"

He only had two cards left. He laid down a 4 of Hearts. "Last card," he declared.

"Cait Sith?" Tifa asked, turning her head to the small cat.

"I already told you, I ain't playing," he replied, folding his little arms across his chest stubbornly. "I don't play card games."

Yuffie glanced sideways at him sceptically. "I would have thought that'd be right up your alley, Sith. Being a fortune-telling cat and all."

"Well, that's why I don't play, ain't it? You guys all know I'd win." AVALANCHE rolled their eyes. "I only play when there's sumthing in it for me," he continued, "and since we ain't playin' for anythin' but each others' 'good company', as Tifa keeps reminding us, I'm out."

The barmaid shook her head and smiled. "You don't know what you're missing."

"I know plenty well, sister," he replied in his funny accent, leaning over the table and staring at her. As an afterthought, he added quickly, "and Cloudy-boy's gonna win."

"_Sith_!" they all cried in exasperation.

"Sorry, but it's _true_!"

Cloud sighed. "I don't see how. I've got two cards, and neither of them are any good!"

"Anyway, who's next?" interrupted Tifa hastily. "Cid?"

"I got nuthin'," the sky pilot said sourly, leaning back and laying his cards face-down in defeat.

"Well, then, draw a card."

Cid sighed, but obeyed, stared at his card for a moment then said triumphantly, "An 8! Ha! And I change the suit to…" He examined his cards again, then said, "Spades."

Cloud's face lit up, then fell slightly. Tifa grinned. "Cloud?"

"Well… um… sorry, Tifa," he blushed. He reluctantly laid down the Queen of Spades, which meant that she had to pick up five cards. "Last card," he said embarrassedly.

"Ha!" Tifa cried in surprise. "Well, well, _well_! You just might win this after all, Strife," she said shrewdly, winking and drawing her cards from the deck. "It looks quite hopeless for me, now, doesn't it?" she announced cheerfully, laying down her Queen of Clubs.

Barret laughed. "It certainly does! Oh, whose turn?"

"Mine!" Yuffie cried, smacking her 7 down audibly and spreading the rest of the cards all over the table.

"No need for such zeal," Vincent groaned disdainfully, scooping the stray cards up and stacking them with one fluid, graceful motion. He then laid down a 9 of Clubs.

Yuffie poked him hard on the shoulder. "You're no fun, Vinny! Why d'ya gotta be such a wet noodle?"

"I pride myself on being 'no fun'," the mysterious man replied throatily, the shadow of a sardonic smirk on his face. He lazily swept a torn scrap of his crimson cloak away from his arm. "On the issue of being a 'wet noodle', I have no _idea _what gave you that impression."

Tifa stifled a giggle.

"And don't call me Vinny." Vincent said the word with such distaste you would have thought he had eaten some bad chocobo meat.

Yuffie sighed melodramatically and shoved him affectionately in his chair. "Suit yourself, Valentine." Tifa had to admit, they sometimes bickered like an old married couple.

"My turn now?" Barret asked. Tifa nodded. A 9 of Hearts.

Red XIII couldn't play a card, so he drew one; a Jack of Hearts. "Last card."

It then passed to Cid, who played a 6 of Hearts.

Cloud's jaw dropped as he slowly laid his card: a 2 of Hearts. Still visibly stunned, he cried, "I… I won. You were right, Sith!"

The cat nodded in satisfaction. "Always."

Tifa placed her cards neatly on the table and shuffled the deck. "Another game?"

Cait Sith absentmindedly coughed and said lazily, "Cid'll win."

"Yee-ha!"

"And then me."

"_You_?!" Yuffie screeched, slamming her hand down and leaning across the table to face Sith. "Since when did you start playing, you cheating mechanical little feline?"

"Since Tifa convinced me that 'time with friends is more important than winning', that's _when_!"

Tifa rolled her eyes and put the deck back in its case. She stood up and stretched. "I'm going to turn in now, guys. Have you all booked into a hotel?"

Barret shook his head. "We were hopin' we could bunk with you guys."

Tifa thought for a moment, then said, "I think I could set up a few mattresses in the bar. Would that be alright?"

"It would certainly beat the Edge Hotel," Cloud said, a sly grin. Everyone laughed; the run-down Edge Hotel was famous for being… well, somewhat _less _than hospitable, smelling slightly of burnt cabbage and mould.

Barret yawned. "I think Tifa's right. I'm gonna go give Mar a kiss goodnight."

Tifa watched the big man walk upstairs and disappear. She smiled to herself. She was glad that Barret got to spend some time with his sweet little girl. But then, of course, after tomorrow he would have to leave again to his job in the oil-fields Corel. Marlene would miss him, but Barret promised to call at least twice a day.

And life would go on.

* * *

The glowing white trees gleamed in the silent night air as the group walked through the Forgotten City in silence.

Marlene had asked Tifa why everyone was so quiet, and she had softly replied, "Because everyone is sad. When you are visiting someone that's gone, you're usually very sad, and very quiet, to respect their memory."

Marlene had nodded soberly, and taken Tifa's hand. She whispered back, "The silver-haired guys weren't very respectful when they were here."

It was Tifa's turn to nod morosely. "No, they weren't."

Marlene had taken Tifa's hand. "Even if I don't remember her that well… I miss her," she sighed regretfully, leaning her head on Tifa's hip.

"Me too."

"I wish I could have known her," Denzel murmured, walking up to them and taking Tifa's other hand.

Tifa smiled wistfully and squeezed both the children's hands. "You would have liked her."

Cloud walked further ahead of them, his head slightly bowed, so that she couldn't see his expression.

"Wait a minute, kids," Tifa told them. She jogged up to Cloud and gently touched his arm. "You okay?" she asked gently. "You… holding up?" He nodded, looking up briefly.

"It wasn't your fault, you know," she said. Once again, she wished she could take it back. She didn't know what was wrong with her! Why couldn't she just keep her mouth shut?

Cloud didn't seem to notice and continued looking at the ground. He replied quietly, "I know… I just miss her sometimes, you know? I wish she were here…" He looked at Tifa. "You?"

"Me?" Tifa was surprised. Did he even have to ask? "All the time."

Tifa reached for Cloud's hand. She squeezed it, hoped but didn't expect it to squeeze back.

Sadly, she realized that he didn't. She kept holding on.

* * *

Yuffie handed a box of materia gently to Tifa, who passed it to Cloud. He waded a few feet into the water, only knee deep, then opened the box. He emptied it, then the other. AVALANCHE each kept one orb, one small token of remembrance, a last candle in the wind...

Tifa held hers tightly, cradled against her chest. It was blue, glowing, its glossy surface smooth and seamless. It gave off a small amount of warmth.

Tifa looked at those around her. They had all grieved, naturally, but most of AVALANCHE's expressions were unreadable; Yuffie chased tears away with the back of her hand, Barret's eyes were shut as he murmured something softly, Red XIII and Cid were staring at the ground uneasily and Vincent's face was blank. Marlene and Denzel looked solemn, hand in hand. Tifa closed her eyes to hide her own tears.

They all wanted to be strong.

She was surprised to hear Cloud's slow, soft voice ring out in the silence. "We are gathered here today to honour the memory of those who could not be here." She turned her head over to him. His arms were extended, his light green materia sphere in both hands. Tifa imitated him, and the rest of AVALANCHE followed suit.

To her own surprise, she began to speak as well. "To honour the memory of those who gave their lives, so that we and countless others might live."

"Aeris Gainsborough," Cloud said.

"Zack Fair."

"Dyne and Eleanor."

"Biggs and Wedge."

"Jessie."

"And others who shall not be forgotten," Vincent added quietly. He bowed his head.

Tifa couldn't hold her own tears back and let out a little sob. She suddenly felt as if she was under a spotlight. She wiped her tears in frustration. She hated crying in front of people; always had.

She closed her eyes and tried to shut it all out. It had been two years and a little bit, but it felt as if it were only yesterday.

For a moment, Tifa felt the strangest thing; it was as if she were getting lighter, slipping away from her body. She felt a small, warm hand brush a tear gently away from her face. A young woman's gentle, comforting voice floated into her head. She knew it was Aeris. "_Don't cry_."

"_It's alright_," said a male voice. Zack.

She felt herself falling back, coming back into her heavy existence.

"It's alright, Tifa," a low, soft voice murmured in her ear.

Cloud's hand was suddenly on her shoulder, like it had been the last time they had visited Aeris. She could barely contain all the emotions and memories dredged up inside of her, and put her hand on his. His hand slid down around her shoulders reassuringly, and Tifa felt safe.

* * *

That night, Cloud and Tifa sat in the bar, alone.

Tifa broke the silence. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"For being there with me today."

Cloud smiled. "Don't mention it."

"And... you really were... _worried _about me?"

Cloud laughed. "Do you have to ask? I was worried _sick_!"

After a moment, the blond added quietly, "I guess Dr. Sanchez was right."

"About what?"

He smiled. "I _am _your loyal partner."

* * *

**Author's Note**: So, how do you like it so far? This was kind of a long chapter... oh well, no matter. I added some stuff. Originally it was just the part about them paying homage to Aeris, but I decided to make a bit longer, and to add the part about Cloud being Tifa's 'loyal partner'. It was just a way to make their sad visit to the Forgotten City more... I don't know, happy? Cute? Fluffy?

It was actually something my friend Bryan said to me the other day... :3

Anyway, please review! Peace!


	5. Real Families and Dark Dreams

**Author's Note:** Okay, this is probably the darkest of MTL's chappies. Seriously, if you don't feel like reading about death, regret, sadness or Tifa dying, then don't read it! It is important in the story, but not so important that you'll miss a lot if you don't read it.

I mean, Ginger thought it was really emo, Yuna asked me if I was high when I wrote this (thanks, Yunie) and Rin started _crying_! Geez, does my writing have that kind of effect on people?? _Gawd_...

Anyway, it's all about Tifa's angst about her family, and feeling like she's not good enough. This was also written when my view on CloTi was different, more new and less... developed, shall we say. It was written really hastily, after I had a dream to this effect.

Hope you like it, despite its resemblances to Vincent's ruminations in Hello. Meh. Enjoy, I guess!

* * *

**Chapter Three _- _**_Real Families and Dark Dreams_

A few days after AVALANCHE had gathered to remember Aeris in the Forgotten City, Tifa was alone in her room, laying restlessly. She looked at the clock; 12:23 AM.

As she lay sprawled on the bed, listening to Cloud's heavy breathing through the wall, she pondered her family; Cloud, Denzel, Marlene and herself.

"_We can help each other, I know we can! … I guess that only works with real families…_" That's what she had said to Cloud, when she tried to snap him out of his guilt…

Real families had two parents, _married_, and children, _biological_. Well, Tifa and Cloud were sort of parents… and though Marlene and Denzel weren't blood relatives, they were sort of brother and sister… but did that make them a real family?

_Friends were a necessity to me so that I wouldn't get suppressed by the sins in my consciousness. Even if they were companions that had the same wounds or were burdened with the same sins. We couldn't live without comforting each other and encouraging each other. You could call that family, maybe. We just had to unite our family's strength and do our best…_

She remembered back to when she had thought that, so long ago it seemed.

She thought that family - real or not - to her was a necessity, too. She realized that she was only truly happy when she, Cloud, Marlene and Denzel were together, but she had been so unhappy these past few weeks… why? Things were finally back to the way they used to be… or should be, anyway… so why did she feel such a horrible sense of loss, of need?

She closed her eyes and pictured the family photo of her, Cloud, Marlene and Denzel. She pictured many more of them, hung all around Seventh Heaven. Pictures of the first day of school, the last day of school, graduation, or just pictures…

She imagined them all doing family things together, a little like they did before the Kadaj incident, but... _more_. Going for walks, visiting Kalm or Corel, playing games, outings to the Chocobo Farm, doing chores and talking together, going on vacation… _family _things.

But she couldn't really see them doing family things like that. They were so different from other families who did family things. Her family was bound by love and friendship, not blood.

Other families didn't have the pressure of saving the Planet from time to time… other families didn't have to do the things Tifa did, to save the Planet, and force herself to live with them. The things she did to save those other families…

Then Tifa's thoughts shifted from her little patchwork family to her _own_ family… or one that she might have one day.

She had always considered Marlene and Denzel her children, but she had never really thought about having children of her own, born from her. She had never considered something… _living inside her_, another life other than her own in her body, a life that she had created…

Who would be the father? Would she make a good mother… a good _real _mother? She certainly hoped so.

And if she had real children, her own children, could she continue to care for Marlene and Denzel? Would _they _still be her children? She didn't know the answers to any of those questions.

Of course, Marlene and Denzel would welcome another brother or sister into the little family, without any prejudice, but would they welcome another man into their lives? Would _Cloud_? She wasn't sure.

She turned over on her stomach. The blanket was a bit scratchy - it had always been scratchy -, and the pillowcase was too big for the squashy pillow it contained. She dug her fingers into the soft pillow and nuzzled her nose into it. It smelled… _cozy_, a little musty, like a library, minus the bookish smell. It smelled like a fond but distant memory, like one that you had when you were a young child that you only remembered in bits and pieces. It was sort of pleasant, a smell Tifa recognized and loved.

But not even the comforting smell could bring Tifa back from her troubled thoughts.

After a little while, Tifa managed to find sleep, only to be troubled by strange dreams filled with people crying and shouting, and she kept reliving her battle with the remnant Loz, and reliving the horrifying reign of terror of Sephiroth two years ago…

She awoke in a cold sweat, her heart racing and her breaths coming in short, sharp gasps. Trying to chase the terrifying thoughts from her mind, she closed her eyes and listened to Cloud's breathing again. The one sound that could calm her down, that constant sound that was as constant as the ticking of a clock…

Around 1:00 in the morning, she eventually closed her eyes and forced herself to sleep again, praying that her dreams would be less disturbing.

But her dreams were nightmares, filled with doubt and suffering. Everything terrible in her life flashed before her eyes in a strange, intoxicated greenish blur. Everything was happening in slow motion, but it was whizzing past her eyes so fast it made her dizzy. She felt like she was falling through cold, thick, dark water. She was drowning… no, _burning_!

She could see Nibelheim, her hometown ablaze, the fiery orange-red flames licking at the sides of houses, burning as it went. "_Father_!"

She watched herself, as if in a trance pick up Sephiroth's sword with lay next to her father's broken and bloodied body. It was as if it were happening to someone else, but she could still feel the pain and anguish and rage. A few tears slid down her face. She wasn't sure if they were really hers, or if they were on the face of her past self.

Tifa watched herself run up the stairs, shrieking in agony and sorrow, heaving the long, heavy katana of Sephiroth. She swung it over her head but he turned and stopped her, then slashed her, dealing what could have been a fatal blow.

Everything was a dark swirl of pain and wretched sadness. She heard a voice… Zack's? "Sephiroth did this to you, right Tifa?", a heated argument, "Return my mother… Tifa… and my village!", her name… "_Tifa_!"

Why did he say her name? Who was he? Why was he calling her?

She could hear hurried footsteps, and the same voice urgently calling her name again, as if it was an echo… "Tifa!"

Then she felt strong, ropy arms wrap around her, delicately place her on the floor, and a gentle, gloved hand brush a few strands of hair out of her face. "Tifa…"

"Cloud," she murmured, looking up at the worried and relieved face of a young Cloud. "So you really did come for me…" she whispered in unison with her old self and from her own mouth, though she made no sound. "You always did…" She suddenly realized that was her speaking, and not her old self.

Cloud smiled timidly, and tears came to Tifa's eyes, seeing him the way he used to be again; he didn't carry the burdens and cares that he did now. "Yeah," he said quietly, his bright blue eyes shining.

Tifa smiled at Cloud's bashfulness, despite her pain. "So you kept your promise, huh? You really came here when I was in a pinch…"

"I'm sorry. I was a bit late on getting here," he replied shyly, laughing nervously.

She shook her head. "Not at all."

Turning her head back to him, she smiled gladly and said in a grateful voice, "It's fine… Cloud…"

Tifa shivered, wrapping her arms around herself, like Cloud had done… She felt the same comfort that the smell of her pillow brought, but it was… different, in a way…

Then she was falling through the water again, watching as dark, hazy faces stared down at her. She could vaguely hear them screaming and crying. She was certain one of them was Marlene, and another Denzel, but she couldn't quite tell if one of them was Cloud…

She vaguely saw a large, dark-gloved hand reaching desperately down to her, then another next to it, white and glowing, like an angel's hand…

She suddenly found herself kneeling at an altar, light streaming in all around her. Her hands were clasped and her head was bowed. She realized that she wasn't watching this happen, she was _living _it. She tried to look around, to get up, but she could barely move.

She heard footsteps, and saw Cloud rushing toward her. But he stopped and just stared helplessly.

This was all very familiar. She suddenly realized, her stomach knotting in dread, that she was Aeris Gainsborough… _right before her death_!

She tried to move, tried to flee, tried to call out to Cloud, but all she could do was look at her hands… _gloved_, not bare.

Her heart racing, Tifa managed to catch a glimpse of her hair…_ebony_, in a long ponytail with a dolphin-tail part at the end…

She wasn't Aeris… she was _herself_.

And she was about to die.


	6. Real Families and Dark Dreams suite

**Chapter Three -** _Real Families and Dark Dreams _**(suite)**

The hold over her was released momentarily and she managed to look up, and saw, in Cloud's eyes, the terrible realization…

"No!" she screamed. She wasn't sure if it was herself that was screaming, the Tifa in front of her, or even Cloud, but it didn't matter… it was…

_Slice…_

… too late.

As Sephiroth drove the long samurai sword into her body, Tifa looked down, to see the blood-stained silver katana sticking out of her stomach, a dark crimson stain quickly spreading on the white shirt. _Her blood_…

Her arms went limp at her sides, her eyes closed and her torso fell forward. She could hear her heartbeat slowing.

_Pompom… pompom… pom pom… pom pom… pom pom… pom… pom…_

Sephiroth, smirking in triumph, drew the sword back, ripping her body backwards. Her eyes opened for a moment, then she slumped forward again, her breath leaving her as her hair fell out of the ponytail… _as Aeris' had_…

Cloud rushed forward just in time to catch her before she touched the ground, his arms around her… like before, her fight with Sephiroth in Nibelheim… like after, her fight with Loz… _like they would always be…_

"Tifa! _… Tifa…" _Cloud cried, his voice thick with something she didn't recognize.

She tried to scream, tried to warn him of what would come, but all that escaped her mouth was a tiny whimper. She managed to choke out, "Cloud…" but she couldn't seem to form any more words. Her limbs suddenly went cold, and icy dread seized her… her lifeless body draped over Cloud's arm, and her neck hung limply.

"No! Tifa, no!" He shook her desperately. His arms weakened as sorrow took hold. "No, _please, no_…" His body shook with sobs and his hands trembled.

Tifa felt as if she was slowly slipping out of her body, like a spirit, and watched what was happening from a distance, as she had before.

Cloud put his hand one hand on the back of her neck, cradling her head, the other on her cheek. "Come back, Tifa… _come back_…" he sobbed. He tried to open her eyes, tried to wake her… but it was no use. She'd never wake again.

After a moment, Cloud yelled in anguish, "Tifa, no… this can't be real!"

"No, Cloud… _it's all too real…_" Tifa whispered, knowing in torment that he couldn't hear her. She moved the comfort him, to tell him that it wasn't real, she wasn't dead! But she knew it would not change anything. "Cloud!" she screamed helplessly. "Can't you hear me?"

Sephiroth, still standing behind them, his hands raised in a sign of victory, sneered, "Do not worry. Soon the girl will become part of the Planet's energy. All that is left it to go North. The 'Promised Land' waits for me over the snowy fields!

"There, I will become a new being by uniting with the Planet… as will this _girl_!"

Cloud, sobbing, snapped, "… Shut up."

Turning to Sephiroth, still cradling Tifa's lifeless body, as if it were precious to him, snarled, "The cycle of nature and your stupid plan don't mean a thing." His voice softening in grief, he murmured, "_Tifa is gone_…"

He slowly turned his head back to her frozen, expressionless face and said sorrowfully, "Tifa will no longer talk, no longer laugh, cry… or get angry…" He pulled her body close and clutched it tightly. "What about us? What are we supposed to do?!" he howled, his voice rising.

"What is this… pain?" he murmured in confusion, lifting his hands, which shook terribly now. "My fingers are tingling… my mouth is dry… my eyes are burning!" The sobs came harder and harder, his tears tumbling freely and uncontrollably.

Sephiroth lowered his arms, his face contorted in angry surprise, disbelief and… almost disappointment. "What are you saying?" he asked callously. "Are you trying to tell me you have feelings now?"

Not able to control his emotions, Cloud sprang up and exploded at Sephiroth, "Of course! _What do you think I am_!?"

Sephiroth's shoulders shook with malicious laughter. "Ha, ha, ha! Stop acting as if you're sad." As an evil afterthought, he added cruelly, "And there's no need to act angry either."

"_I hate you_." Tifa wasn't sure if it was her or Cloud speak.

Then, going as quickly and horribly as he'd come, Sephiroth flew up, and screamed back down at a torn Cloud, "Because you are… a _puppet_…"

"Cloud, no! You're not a puppet, _you're not a puppet_!"

The real Tifa watched helplessly as Cloud carried her cold, dead body from the altar to the Forgotten City, which had been Aeris' final resting place… and would now bear her.

Tifa turned away, unable to watch any more. She needed Cloud, and Cloud needed her… _she couldn't die_! Her cold corpse slid down into the deep water, the weight of it crushing down on her. Her eyes were closed, and her face was tranquil, but… there was something wrong. She wasn't smiling serenely, her face was not a portrait of peace, as Aeris' had been. Her face was sad and distressed, as if she was having a nightmare.

Suddenly, the events of the last few months surged upon her, except… it wasn't her living them… it… it was _Aeris_!

Aeris was living her life, tucking Marlene and Denzel in each night, comforting Cloud and taking care of her family… _Tifa's _family.

Watching in horrified awe, she saw Cloud and Aeris talking together, laughing together, and… living together. Cloud slept in his room, and Aeris slept in Tifa's room, and as time wore on, Aeris shared Cloud's bed.

When she looked at Cloud's face, there wasn't a trace of shame or guilt. When she looked at Marlene and Denzel's faces, they were bright and cheerful, not sad or pained… or _pretend…_

And Tifa realized the horrible truth… if she had died and Aeris had lived… Cloud wouldn't miss her, because Aeris did a better job that she had.

She watched her fight with Loz play out… it was Aeris who had come out victorious, leaving Loz to lie in the dust. Marlene and Denzel had never been kidnapped, because Aeris had been able to protect them. Cloud had never suffered so much, because he had told Aeris about his Geostigma, because he trusted her.

Tifa couldn't watch anymore. She felt like she was drowning. _This couldn't be_!

"This isn't real, this isn't real, _this isn't real_!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, kicking and smashing her fists this way and that, trying to escape the alternate reality.

Something she had said to Cloud once, before Aeris' death, came back to her now… they had snuck out to the Gold Saucer, and were now on the Gondola… "_Okay, I'm going to just go ahead and say it…_" Tifa had said.

"… _what_?" Cloud asked.

She looked down at her feet glumly. "_Aeris would be able to just come out and say it, probably…_" she had said regretfully, sadly letting the thought drop.

_Nooooo_!

The world around her blurred and ran, like watery colours on a canvas, and faded to black. The black water… she was falling, and still screaming, but no sound came out… just bubbles.

Her punches and kicks began to lose strength, and Tifa's lungs began to burn. Her heart was pounding madly, trying to find air that wasn't there.

She clawed at the water, clawed and cried as water rushed into her mouth. She choked and sputtered, feeling so heavy and tired.

"This isn't real, this isn't real, _this isn't real_!"

Suddenly it happened all over again, all the memories playing around her. The water was alive with them, all jumbled together in blurred sounds and shapes and feelings, all battling for centre stage. They pressed in on her, pressing in closer than the water, until...

Tifa sat upright with a start. It was… a dream… a dream… _just a dream_…

Her body was covered with cold sweat, her hair and nightgown plastered to her body. Shakily laying back down, she closed her eyes and lay her arms out on either side of her in a vain attempt at relaxing. Her hands clenched and unclenched convulsively as she tried to calm her senses.

After a moment, her body began to loosen up, and she could hear the heavy, rhythmic sound of Cloud's breathing over the hammering of her heart… but she also heard something else…

With dread, she realized a familiar rustling and subtle sound that she couldn't put her finger on, but that she had hoped to never hear again…the sound of a leather cape… and a sword flying through the air…

_Slice…_

Tifa's eyes snapped open and she tried to suck in a breath, but only wheezed silently.

The cold metal of a katana had sliced through her chest and through the bed, pinning her down.

Sephiroth was crouched over her, his dancing aqua-green eyes holding a wild, crazed glint. His long silver hair fell over his shoulder onto her face. He smiled and put his hand to her cheek.

Tifa was gasping silently, paralyzed, watching her chest as dark scarlet blood poured onto her white nightgown and the torn sheets. She couldn't call for help, couldn't move at all.

"Poor, poor Tifa, all alone and no one to save her," he sang in his deranged voice as she struggled to breathe.

Sephiroth's hand brushed her face, gently. He brought his face down to hers, so that their faces were only a few millimetres apart. He breathed in demonic, delusional thrill, and whispered in her ear, "It's such a pleasure killing you _again_."

Then, with a feral gleam in his eye, he mercilessly tore his sword up from her chest. Tifa gasped and a small, weak cry escaped her lips.

Blood was now dripping from the silver blade.

By now, Tifa couldn't breath, could only wheeze and gasp, clutching her chest. "C-Cloud… why…"

"He won't come this time," Sephiroth said softly. It was strange… he didn't sneer, and there was no cruel edge in his voice, though this was much more frightening…

"So _brave… _but of course it does you no good."

He brought his face down so that their cheeks touched, Sephiroth's warm and sweaty one, and Tifa's pale and cold one. They stayed like that for a long, agonizing moment.

Tifa closed her eyes, listening to Sephiroth's breathing, so similar to Cloud's. _He will come, I know… he promised…_

Then she heard someone else's breathing… and someone calling her... Aeris and Zack… _Hold on… hold on… he will come! Don't give up, Tifa!  
_

Sephiroth sat up, and Tifa opened her eyes to face her killer one last time.

It wasn't Sephiroth. It was Cloud. It was Cloud, smiling evilly and cackling madly.

"_Nooo_!"

A bleary voice screamed in her head, "Tifa, Tifa! Wake up! You're dreaming! It's just _a dream_!"

She kicked and thrashed, trying to shake her attacker.

"Tifa! Listen to me! _It's just a dream_!"

Tifa's eyes snapped open… for real this time.

Cloud sat over her, shaking her shoulders and staring frantically into her face. His bright blue eyes were wide with worry.

"Cloud?"

"Tifa, are you alright?" Cloud pulled her shoulders up a few inches and holding her, his eyes still anxious.

"Oh Cloud!" Tifa cried, sitting up and slinging her arms around his neck. "Sephiroth… It was Sephiroth… He… he tried to… he killed me!"

She suddenly became aware that she sounded quite delusional, so she decided to stop speaking.

Cloud wrapped his arms around her, gently rocking and murmuring to her. "It's alright… it's alright… He's not going to hurt us anymore…"

Tifa slowly took her arms from around Cloud neck and put them on his chest, burying her face in his shoulder. "It was just that… I… I died… and Aeris lived…"

Cloud pulled her back and searched her face. "What do you mean?"

Wiping her nose unceremoniously on the back of her hand, Tifa replied shakily, "I dreamt Sephiroth killed _me _that day, not Aeris. And… and Aeris was living my life… everything."

Tifa could see the shadow of the look Cloud almost always got when Aeris arose in the conversation. Tifa knew he still missed her dearly.

"I'm sorry, Cloud. I… I shouldn't have brought it up… it makes you sad…" she apologized quickly, her breathing and speech still a little wobbly and uneven. She sat back and hugged herself, feeling very self-conscious.

"No, no… it's fine. You needed to talk."

He pulled her closer and spoke in her hair, "Was… was there anything else?"

Tifa hesitated. Should she tell him about the Cloud that had tried to kill her? She decided not to.

"N-no," she answered. She closed her eyes and felt her tense body loosen. She was right about one thing… Cloud had kept his promise, and that was all that mattered…

* * *

The next morning, Tifa and Cloud got up and started their day as usual, but it was slightly awkward between them; neither wished to discuss what had happened the previous night.

Cloud could tell that there was something that Tifa had left out, but he didn't want to remind her of the horrible dream; she had been screaming, and thrashing. He wondered what she wasn't telling him.

On the other side, Tifa could tell that both Marlene and Denzel knew something was wrong. Marlene asked her about later that morning when she and Tifa were alone in the back storage room.

"Tifa?"

"Yes, Marlene?" Tifa was busy sorting cans of Amino-D, but stopped her work and looked down at Marlene.

The six-year-old, who was also making room for the cans, stared at her feet uneasily. "Well… I didn't mean to listen, I really didn't!"

"What's wrong?" Tifa asked concernedly, bending down and looking into the brunette's young face.

The little girl shuffled around a bit, avoiding Tifa's gaze, before answering, "It's just that… you had a nightmare last night, didn't you?"

Tifa dropped the can she was holding in surprise. The metallic sound resonated through the small storage room as the can bounced and rolled under a shelf.

"Oh, I'm so clumsy," Tifa muttered, reaching to retrieve the Amino-D.

"I'll get that!" Marlene offered. She fished the can out and handed it to Tifa.

"So… you _heard_…" Tifa said tensely, rearranging some cans around nonsensically. She avoided Marlene's curious and concerned eyes; she didn't know why, but she felt ashamed, as if she'd been caught doing something wrong.

"Well… yeah. But it's okay, Tifa. I have nightmares sometimes, too. Did Cloud make it all better?"

Tifa didn't drop anything this time, but would have if she wasn't on her guard. "What… what do you mean, Marlene?"

"Cloud came into your room last night. He woke you up, saved you from your nightmare. He's good at doing that, isn't he? He's really brave."

"Yes," was all Tifa could say. "He _is_ really brave."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yay, now that _that's_ over with, we can get to the happier chappies!! Anyway, hope that wasn't enough to turn you guys off of MTL for good, 'cause it gets better. Trust me.


	7. Delivery Slips

**Author's Note:** Well, hello peoples! Guess what? It was my b-day yesterday! Woohoo. I got several nice shirts, a few necklaces, 'Betwixt' and 'Twilight' (which I finished both last night.)

Anyway, here's chapter... _shit_, I lost count. _Chapter Four_! Yay! There's a bit of _mystery _going on in the Lockhart-Strife household. Cloudy-boy's been going a several strange deliveries, and Tifa's worried about him. It has something to do with Vincent Valentine and DoC.

I must admit, when it comes to the events of Dirge of Cerberus, my knowledge is fairly foggy, so I use poetic license. Just a little heads-up, so don't come chasing me with pitchforks!!

This was a stupid idea I had, but I think it might develop into something. Meh.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Four _-_**_ Delivery Slips_

A few days later, Cloud had been hired to deliver a large shipment of vegetables from Midgar to Kalm for some refugees, and had to leave the next morning.

It was fairly late, and Marlene and Denzel were already asleep in bed. He and Tifa were alone, talking in the bar while she cleaned up.

The latter had brought out some spare alcohol to give Cloud a cheerful send-off. Drinking any of Seventh Heaven's alcohol was a rare treat, kept only for special occasions; Tifa deemed this to be worthy of a pint or two.

"Hey, Cloud?" Tifa asked.

"Mmm-hmm?" Cloud was busy filling out delivery slips, every few minutes taking a tiny sip of alcohol.

Leaning the broom with which she was sweeping the floors on a wall, she grabbed a small washcloth and began cleaning the tables and the bar. "Do you remember what you called our 'normal lives'?"

Cloud looked at her, puzzled. Tifa laughed a little at his expression. "I'm sorry if I ask a lot of strange things. I want to come back to the past, sometimes…"

He shook his head and smiled ever so slightly. "You _analyse _things, don't you?"

Tifa stopped scrubbing and looked at him.

It was Cloud's turn to laugh. "Don't be _offended_!" he teased.

Tifa wasn't offended, but it was just that… it was so true. She decided to joke about it.

"No, of course not!" She smiled and continued wiping the grime off the tables. This one was particularly sticky; perhaps it had been from all the spilt wine after that wedding party last week…

"So," she continued, not missing a beat. "Do you remember?"

Cloud paused, then asked, embarrassed, "What was the question?"

Tifa put her hand on her hip and smiled, "_Why_ do I put up with you?"

"Because you like me," Cloud teased, looking over his shoulder at her.

Tifa's heart fluttered a little, but she let out a derisive laugh. "Ha! I put up with you, _Mr. Cloud Strife_, because you're a source of income, a good example to the kids and you are an old friend. My best friend. Otherwise, I'd drop-kick you out the door!" she joked.

The blonde pouted and put a hurt, puppy-dog look on. "Is that _all _I am to you?" he said dramatically.

The barmaid stuck her tongue out at him.

Cloud grinned. "Nah, you like me."

Tifa rolled her eyes and continued, "Anyway, do you remember what you called our 'normal lives'?"

Cloud mulled it over, drained his glass, thought some more, and replied, "No, I don't. Do you?"

Tifa gave him a strange smile. "You called it our 'suspended reality'."

"Did I?"

"Yeah," Tifa said.

"… And?"

After a second of staring off into space, she answered, "I don't know, I was just thinking…"

Cloud looked at her concernedly. "You do that a lot?"

Tifa laughed, trying to shake him off. "What, _think_?"

Cloud was completely serious. "Yeah. Do you think about that stuff a lot? The things that happened while we were part of AVALANCHE?"

Tifa hugged herself self-consciously. "Well… yeah. Don't you?"

"Sometimes…" He gazed back at her, his eyes worried again. "But you think about it _a lot_, don't you? Why?"

Tifa shook her head, troubled. "Why does it matter?" she asked.

Cloud put his hands up in an 'I surrender' gesture and said, "Well, I worry about you sometimes. You shouldn't think about that stuff. It just makes you sad. It's not like you to be so quiet."

"What, are you saying I _talk_ too much?"

Cloud opened his mouth to protest, then realized she was kidding. "A regular chatter-box, you are."

Tifa chucked the cloth at him, hitting him squarely in the chest. "Oh, and I suppose you're the strong, silent type!"

"... _I am_!" Cloud insisted.

Tifa grinned. "Or so you'd have everyone believe," she teased.

It was Cloud's turn to stick his tongue out. "Well, I'm not going to argue with you anymore. I've learned enough from living with you for the past couple of years." He stretched and yawned. "I'm done filling out the slips," he said casually. "I think I'm going to bed. You coming?"

Tifa shook her head. "I want to finish cleaning up." Meeting Cloud's eye, she continued reasonably, "Less work for tomorrow, right?"

"I guess so…" he replied uncertainly. Thankfully, he let it go. "Good night, Tifa."

"Good night, Cloud."

Tifa watched the spiky-haired young man walk out the door and up the stairs. She waited until she could no longer hear the crunch of the floorboards and the squeak of the bedsprings, then hurried over to the table that Cloud had been working at. Small white delivery slips were spread all over it.

Tifa's mind drifted back to a days ago, when Cloud had come home from a few long-distance deliveries. She was rather curious as to these deliveries; he handled them himself, without her help, and though at first she'd thought that to be a good sign of responsibility, warning flags had signaled when he'd been rather unwilling to talk about them.

* * *

"Cloud! You're back early!"

She rushed forward and hugged him as usual, but when she looked at his face, she could see that it was troubled, and his eyes were distressed.

"Cloud? What's wrong?" Tifa asked concernedly. She touched his left arm gently, shaking him from his reverie.

"S-sorry?" he stammered.

"_What's wrong_?" she repeated. "Is everything okay?"

"Um… fine. I'm back early… yeah. That didn't take as long as I had thought," he said, forcing a casual smile, which resembled a strange, puckered grimace more than anything; for Cloud, 'casual' or 'laid-back' was still rather foreign.

Tifa frowned slightly. _Something's going on_, she thought.

Trying to act natural to lighten the mood, she decided to go and continue cleaning and washing dishes as though nothing was wrong. Perhaps then Cloud could unwind. _But still, that delivery certainly seems to have shaken him… _Tifa thought to herself.

"Where was it to? Your delivery?" she asked brightly, trying to sound as if she was only mildly interested.

Cloud avoided her gaze and replied, "Oh, it was just a box from Midgar…"

Silence.

"Of... _what_?" she pressed.

"I don't know… materia, scrap metal…" Cloud didn't sound like he was telling the truth. But what in the world we he have to hide from her, and why?

"Going where?" Tifa urged, turning the tap off and setting down the glass she was working on, secretly waiting on the edge of her seat to hear his response.

"… Junon." Cloud seemed to be telling the truth now… but was he telling the truth just to be honest with her, or out of defeat?

Maybe she was just being paranoid. Tifa tried to keep her voice light. "What… what was it for? I mean, what did the person want done with the metal… or whatever it was?"

"I… I don't know," Cloud answered, rather quietly. "I… didn't ask."

"Well… what about the delivery slips? Any record?"

"No."

Tifa wasn't the type to lose her cool as she was a little reserved, and she rarely did, so it was very out of character when she cried, "Cloud, you should always ask! It doesn't matter what it is, or how much they're paying you! You could be shipping dangerous materials! You could get…"

Cloud looked over at her, dumbfounded.

"… into trouble," she finished hastily. She sighed. "You don't have to hide these things from me."

"I need to go," the blonde muttered.

"Cloud, _don't_! I… I'm really sorry, it's none of my business," she called after him.

He turned around. "I'm sorry, too."

"Let's… let's just forget this, okay?" Tifa asked reasonably.

He had agreed, but as far as Tifa was concerned, this merited further investigation.

* * *

Which was what she was doing right now.

She suddenly felt a horrid knot of dread in her stomach. What was she doing, lying, sneaking around like some sort of criminal? It made her sick to ever consider it, but she had to know. She had to know whether Cloud was telling the truth.

She ran her long, thin fingers over the slips, spreading them individually so that she could read them all. One by one, she read the names, destinations, and other information.

She passed over a yellowed slip, with frayed edges. It was at least a few months old; she could barely read the faded writing, but saw, in Cloud's crowded, box-lettered handwriting:

_Client Name - Reeve Tuesti_

_Delivery Item - Weapons_

_Destination -_

There were several destinations listed there, most of them illegible, but she could make out at least what looked to be Junon, Wutai and what was possibly Midgar.

Kalm was nowhere to be found on the list.

Troubled, Tifa searched further; she found at least four other delivery slips, most old, but some relatively new, with practically the same information, differing perhaps from 'Weapons' to 'Supplies' etcetera. Tifa frowned. What kind of supplies? And what in the world would Cloud be doing working for a former Shinra executive, not to mention shipping weapons?

And more importantly, why didn't he want Tifa to know about these mysterious deliveries?

Tifa sat down in frustration. None of this was making sense. Cloud may not be the most _open _person, but he wasn't secretive to the point of actually lying to Tifa's face. She brushed a slip away from her arm in disappointment. Though Cloud had lied about the destination of his delivery, there was nothing _incriminating…_

_Wait a minute_.

Tifa looked at the back of the slip she had just flicked away. There were several words written, quite hastily it seemed; _Vincent, Tviets, W.R.O_.

Tifa only knew one Vincent, and that was Vincent Valentine… but though she only knew one, there must be other 'Vincent's in the area. Surely…

_Tviets_. Tifa reread it to make sure she had seen it right. She contemplated the word; it sounded foreign, perhaps a codeword or an anagram… was _Tviets _even a word at all?

_W.R.O_… it sounded vaguely familiar, but she could not recall where she had heard or seen it before. It sounded to her like a codeword as well, or perhaps an abbreviation? The name of an organization, maybe?

What _was _this gibberish? Tifa couldn't make sense of it. She tried putting the words in a different order to form a sentence, then rearranged the letters to form different words, but any way she tried, it still sounded ridiculous.

She gazed at the clock above the bar, and realized that she had been at this for at least two hours. She sighed. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe Cloud just didn't want to talk about the delivery. It wasn't uncommon for him to keep things to himself; it was just the way he was.

Tifa stacked the slips neatly according to client name, and then looked down at the top of the pile:

_Client Name - Ian Shinobu_

_Delivery Item - Food Supplies_

_Destination - Kalm_

His delivery to Kalm. He wasn't lying after all.

Tifa smacked her forehead, fairly exasperated with herself for searching for something that wasn't there… or rather, for something that was on_ the top of the pile_. She rubbed her eyes, picked the slips up and trudged upstairs. Before entering her own bedroom to go to sleep, she peeked into Cloud's room-_slash_-office. He was sound asleep.

She crept as silently as possible to his desk, and placed the orderly stack of slips onto the corner where he could see them, yawned and tiptoed to her own bedroom, where she sank gratefully into bed.

No bad dreams that night.

* * *

Cloud got back from the delivery to Kalm a few days later. It was still very early when he arrived back, and Tifa and the children were still asleep.

As quietly as he could, he crept upstairs to his room, which he had turned into his office. The rusty old piping was visible on the weathered, grimy grey metal of the walls. The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from the dirty windows and the skylight, but he could still distinguish the vague shapes; at the far end of the room, there were several objects: his desk, on which sat a white phone, an old lamp, a photo of Tifa, Marlene, Denzel and himself, an AVALANCHE picture taken a few months ago. Delivery orders, forms, newspaper clippings and drawings by Marlene and Denzel adorned the wall above his desk. He also noticed the small stack of rectangular white delivery slips on his desk, all arranged nice and neat; he needed to thank Tifa when she woke up.

There was also an old motorcycle tire and a few old boxes that had been kicked off to the side. His bed lay on the wall to his right. He noticed with gratitude that Tifa had washed his sheets and pillowcase.

Hardly a _palace_, but it was home.

He sat thankfully down on the bed, and closed his eyes. He hadn't had a good night's sleep for days, and he was exhausted.

He was shaken from his reverie when he heard a soft knock on the frame of his door. He turned his head to the tiny sound, and saw Tifa standing there shyly. "May I come in?" she asked quietly.

He nodded.

Tifa smiled a small smile and walked over to him. She sat down gingerly on the bed, and gently hugged him, like he was something that might break. "We missed you," she breathed. After a moment, she let go and whispered, her head cocked to one side, "Glad you're back." She got up and walked out.

Cloud sat, dumbfounded. After a few minutes, he shook it off, and stretched out on the bed. He'd have to wake up again in about four hours, but those four hours were welcome ones of slumber.

* * *

Cloud's eyelids were still heavy from sleep, and but he opened them and squinted until everything came into focus.

The crisp morning light filtered in through the grimy window, shining on his pale face. He blinked twice, clearing his vision.

He realized that he had slept in his clothing. They were wrinkled and grubby, and the bottoms were crusty with dirt and mud from the road. He brushed a few locks of his spiky, bright blond hair away from his eyes. It was grungy from not being washed for several days, and there was noticeable stubble on his chin and jaw. Maybe a nice shower and shave would be a good idea.

He looked over at the old, worn clock on his bedside table. It was still very early, only 6:46 AM. Tifa would be awake by now. His heart leapt at the thought. He would never admit it, but he loved the way she smelled in the morning; when he smelled more like old socks and mothballs than a human being, Tifa smelled clean and fresh, like fabric softener.

He rose and crept downstairs to the bathroom, where he showered quickly and dressed in clean clothes, which had been laid out for him the night before. He smiled to himself; Tifa knew him well.

He walked out of the bathroom and into the bar, still towel drying his hair and cleaning his ears. He suddenly remembered he had forgotten to shave. Damn… oh well. He still looked fairly _dashing_... well, perhaps more _presentable _than dashing.

He saw Tifa sitting at one of the tables, her head propped up by her hand, a mug of hot chocolate and cloth in the other. She had fallen asleep.

Cloud smiled again, and sat down next to her. Her face was blank, and very pale. He took off his glove and touched her cheek with his hand. "Good morning," he whispered.

She slowly opened her eyes and yawned. She smiled. "G' Morning," she replied, rubbing her eyes and temples with the tips of her fingers. "You're up early."

"I guess so."

"What prompted this?" Tifa asked, leaning her head tiredly against his.

"Nothing, really."

She nodded, still very tired. Cloud began to rub her shoulders soothingly. At first, she tensed up, but gradually, Tifa relaxed, closed her eyes and groaned gratefully. "Thanks," she murmured, putting a hand on his appreciatively and squeezing it.

"No problem," Cloud said cheerfully.

Tifa opened her eyes and joked softly, "Why are you in such a good mood?" Their faces came closer and closer, until they could feel each other's breath…

After a moment of hesitation, Cloud replied quickly, "It's a nice day. We should take a walk with the kids."

Then he got up and swiftly left the room. Tifa was left alone in the bar once more, unspoken words hanging precariously in the air.

Tifa ran her hand through her hair. She wasn't sure if she'd ever find the a chink in his armour.

She suddenly touched her cheek in surprise; she realized that Cloud had touched her with his bare hand. That was the first time.

She smiled and pushed the unhappy thoughts out of her mind. _He massaged my shoulders. That's got to count for something_.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So, how was it? Hope you guys liked it! It gets even better; more mystery, more action (eventually), more Cloud and Tifa banter, more _looooooove_, more everything that makes MTL good (I hope). Anyway, read on and please review! I want feedback!!


	8. Strawberry Pineapple on the Rocks

**Author's Note:** Here's an interesting little chappie. I'm not sure where I got the idea for this, but... well, ya know. Let's just say Seventh Heaven has a band night, a certain ninja gets drunk, Cloud and Tifa dance, and an angry Barret crashes the party. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Five -** _Strawberry-Pineapple on the Rocks_

Tifa sighed, picking up a tray of empty glasses and plunking them down on the bar. _Whose stupid idea was this party_? she asked herself tiredly, running a hand through her hair. She sighed again; _Oh yeah... __**Yuffie's**_.

What did the young, conniving ninja have to do with any of this? _Everything_.

She had visited the bar one night. Business had been rather slow, and Tifa had expressed her worries that if Seventh Heaven didn't get more customers, she might have to close it. Well, of course, Yuffie wouldn't stand for such a thing, and so she had suggested the bar go in a whole different direction; a club. Tifa pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. A _club_.

And of course, desperate Tifa had listened to her.

The first of Yuffie Kisaragi's brilliant ideas was inviting two of Edge's most sucessful bands, '_The SOLDIERBOYZ_' and '_Manic-Materia_' to play at Seventh Heaven. And on Thursday, she'd booked the girl-band '_The Gift of the Goddess'_. And then came the most intelligent idea of all: afterwards, they'd have karaoke. _Karaoke_. Oh, and of course, she had hired a DJ and bought some rainbow disco lights and loudspeakers.

It had drawn so many people, though, that Tifa was _almost _willing to forgive Yuffie (who had mysteriously disapperaed after the first wave of three dozen came), except that she was sure she would be deaf shortly. Sure, she loved the 'BOYZ, even if their songs were mostly screaming and smashing the guitars and drums, but this was _insane_! The bar was so filled she could barely move through the dancing, screaming, sweating throng of people!

She glanced over at the table to her left, where Cloud sat. She smiled despite herself. He looked very out of place; a long-sleeved black shirt, black cargo pants and black combat boots, belts and buckles everywhere. It contrasted sharply with Tifa's attire: an indigo and scarlet Asian-style tank-top, black flats and dark, low-rise jeans. Her hair was up in a loose bun.

_Well, at least we have black shoes in common_, she thought, grinning.

"Cloud!" she called, straining her voice over the pandemonium. The blonde jerked as if poked with a cattle-prod, then realized it was only Tifa. "Hi, Teef!" he hollered back, cupping his hand.

Tifa smiled. "Why so uptight?" Spots of colour sprang to Cloud's cheeks and the swordsman shrugged.

The barmaid walked over to him and pulled him up by the arm. "Come on."

"Huh?"

Tifa cocked her head to the side mischeviously. "Just come."

"Shouldn't you watch the bar?" he asked doubtfully.

Tifa waved her hand dismissively. "We won't be missed. Besides, I think everyone's riveted on M-M's lead, Milo. He's definite eye-candy." Did she detect a hint of a pout on Cloud's face? She tugged at his arm again. "I'll find you something presentable to wear. You look like a Vincent-wannabe," she teased.

"I resent that," he retorted, pretending to look annoyed.

That just made Tifa laugh again as she headed upstairs with Cloud in tow (which was not as easy at it seemed; she had to step over a few sleeping drunks on the stairs).

She pulled him all the way to his bedroom, then made a B-line for his closet. She searched for a full two minutes, with Cloud sitting meekly on his bed while Tifa tossed out outfit after outfit. Finally, she turned around, looking quite pleased with herself. She held a sexy light grey muscle shirt and acid-washed jeans. Cloud blinked. "I didn't even know I owned those."

Tifa smiled. "Actually, you didn't until a few weeks ago. I thought you needed more... variety." Tifa chucked the clothes at him and turned. Cloud stood there dumbly. Tifa looked back and urged, "Hurry up! _Change_!"

Cloud blushed again and aquiesced. After a moment, Tifa turned back around, just as Cloud was pulling the muscle shirt on. She caught a glipse of his abbs and six-pack. She shivered a little as goosebumps sprouted on her arms.

Tifa stepped back to admire her new, transformed Cloud; he looked a lot more cool and laid-back. The jeans hugged his hips very nicely, and the shirt showed off his muscular arms. He was... _very attractive_, actually.

"I feel silly," Cloud admitted, tugging at the shirt.

"_Don't_! You look... _great_," Tifa said breathlessly. "Now come on! Let's go!"

They came downstairs just as Manic-Materia changed songs, to a rythmic, fast-paced song. Tifa bobbed her head and swayed her hips as she stepped behind the bar and began to mix drinks with an ease and professionalism that awed Cloud, even though he had seen her do it a thousand times. He sat opposite her.

He watched curiously as she flipped a bottle to the other hand and poured, then lightning-quick snatched another bottle, still keeping her eyes focused on the glass. He noticed that she was layering it; scarlett and green. She then plucked a dark brown skewer, and popped two grapes, a melon-ball, chunk of pineapple and a cherry on it. She tossed it and a few ice cubes into the glass and slid it toward Cloud. "Drink," she ordered.

He lifted it to his lips and took a sip. It was very... _interesting_; fruity and soft, like strawberries and banana, but at the same time tangy and sour, like pineapple and lime. It felt like fireworks in his mouth. He smacked his lips in satisfaction. Mmm... even the after-taste was nice.

He nodded his approval. "Wow. This is awesome!"

Tifa smiled smugly. "It's new, non-alcoholic. What should I call it?"

Cloud almost choked on his second drink. "This... this is _new_? You just made this up?" he sputtered. Tifa clapped him on back to stop his coughing, then sat back and said, "Yeah, so?"

"Well... it's just that that's pretty... special."

Tifa laid her hands in her lap. "Not really. I guess I just have a talent."

"I'll say! Can I have a refill?"

Tifa laughed. "Sure."

Cloud mulled it over for a moment. "Hmm... Strawberry-Pineapple Cocktail? Strawberry-Pineapple Punch? Strawberry-Pineapple on the Rocks?"

"'On the Rocks' means it contains alcohol, Cloud."

"Oh. Well, it still sounds great!"

Tifa nodded. "Strawberry-Pineapple on the Rocks it is. I can add a shot of something, maybe dry gin, or light rum. Vodka, if you like." She began to mix something into the drink. "Here. This is with gin."

Cloud drank a mouthful. "Good, kinda perfumey, but not quite right."

"Okay..." She deftly mixed another, and added something else. "Vodka."

"Blech. Too strong."

"Now, rum."

Cloud took a little sip, then nodded. "Perfect."

Tifa smiled and went back to mixing drinks, easily and gracefully. Cloud suddenly felt admiration.

A thought struck him, and he stepped behind the bar and asked timidly, "Can... can you show me how to mix drinks?"

Tifa looked up from her work and cocked an eyebrow. "You really want me to?"

"Sure! I could help you around the bar on busy nights."

"You'll probably poison the customers," she teased. She then launched into a full-scale description of each popular drink on Seventh Heaven's menu, and made them each in turn, letting Cloud sample them. He tried to pay attention, but could barely keep up. How did she remember all these?

"... and remember, we do _not_ serve Purple Jesuses! And for the Stinger, you just add -" Tifa stopped and saw his glassy eyes. "I'm boring you, aren't I?"

"Not at all, it's just that it's so much to remember!"

"It is, but you get used to it."

Tifa glanced at the clock. "Geez, it's quarter after midnight. Last time I checked it was nine-thirty." Cloud stepped behind her. "Yeah."

The dark-haired woman turned her head slightly, and their eyes met. Cloud slung his arms around Tifa's shoulders and rested his head on her neck."I love you," he mumbled into her hair, which had fallen out of its loose bun.

Tifa's head snapped around. "What did you say?"

Cloud lifted his head, confused. "I love this," he repeated. "This night, this drink, this time spent with you." Tifa relaxed slightly. She wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed.

The latter was more probable than the former, but she would never admit it.

There was a moment of silence, then the lead singer of _Manic-Materia_, Milo Wara spoke into the microphone, "Now this is for you lovers. Grab a girl, dudes!" They began a slower, more intimate tune. Everyone seemed to simultaneously gravitate towards each other as one.

Tifa watched, as if in a trance, the horde of moving bodies slowing to an organized, semi-waltz. She noticed that Cloud's body was sort of rocking from side to side. She closed her eyes and let her body sway to the music and fall into step with his.

They carried on like that for several minutes, an eternity it seemed to them. Cloud eventually removed his arms from around Tifa's shoulders and brought them down to her hands. He squeezed them gently, then led her out onto the dance floor. "Cloud, what are you doing?"

He just smiled lethargically and pulled her closer. They began to dance slowly, their heads resting on each other. The energy of a few minutes previous had all but gone; almost every couple was swaying sleepily to the song.

Tifa glanced at the clock again. 1:37.

Suddenly, a sharp noise woke them both, and everyone's head turned in unison to the source of the noise. There stood Barret Wallace, carrying Marlene and pulling a half-asleep Denzel alongside. "What in the hell is this?" he barked.

He spotted Tifa - who had pried herself away from Cloud as soon as Barret had burst in -, and yelled, "Tifa, what is this?"

"A... a party," she stammered. Why did she suddenly feel like a teenager caught having a party while her parents were out of town? She turned to Cloud for support; he suddenly found a great interest in his toes. He knew that he was in more trouble than she.

Barret set his jaw, and pointed accusingly at Cloud. "You. Take the kids up to bed." He jerked his finger at Tifa. "You. Clean up." Then he addressed the crowd; "All of you kids! Home to bed!"

"_Barret_!" Tifa cried in a strangled voice, her face reddening. "This is _my _bar, _my _party!"

"Actually, it's mine!" hiccuped a shaky voice in the corner. The three turned and saw Yuffie sitting in the lap of some drunk red-head... wait, was that...?

"_Reno_?!" Tifa and Cloud cried in unison. The two looked at each other. Yuffie... and... _Reno_?

Stunned silence.

The drummer of M-M did the punchline beat. _Ba-dum-dum-tschhh_.

Barret shot him a look of fury. The drummer just shrugged.

Cloud would have laughed, if he knew he wasn't dead meat. Barret would kill him, and once he was dead, would kill him again. It was supposedly Cloud's responsability to take care of Tifa and the kids in Barret's mind.

But after a minute, Cloud realized that Tifa hadn't moved. _Oh, shit_. She and Barret were having a stare-down.

Cloud invisioned Tifa shooting lightning out of her eyes, and steam billowing out of Barret's ears. He let out an involuntary snort. Barret turned his death-stare at him; "What are you laughin' at, Spikey? I'll deal with you, later!"

_Gulp_.

Finally, Tifa broke the silence. "Barret, thank you for bringing the kids home. Now, I would be much obliged if you would usher these kind people out, and help clean up." Her tone was so calm, so polite, that it made Cloud shiver, but he wanted to kiss her for deflecting Barret's anger from him.

To Cloud's shock, Barret nodded curtly and began herding the people out. He almost fainted from the suspense.

He shot Tifa a proud look, but she didn't see; she was busy heaving a drunk ninja off of an even drunker Turk. From the former, he heard a slurred, "What, no karweeohkee?"

* * *

**Author's Note:** ... hee hee, Yuffie... and... Reno. Ha. Yuffie drunk. Ha ha. Yuffie trying to say karaoke. Hee hee. Karweeohkee. Funny.

P.S. My dad helped me with the different alcohol types in this chappie. He also told me about Purple Jesuses; straight alcohol. Blech.


End file.
